Working in one of the fastest growing municipalities in the state, members of the Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department must both juggle the current needs of the community they serve while also planning ahead to ensure that quality of service doesn’t fall behind as the community expands.

To honor the efforts taken by the department to strengthen local leadership, provide excellent public safety services, communicate effectively both internally and externally, and meet the needs of both employees and citizens, the Tennessee Municipal League is pleased to present Murfreesboro with an award for Excellence in Fire Services, according to a press release.

Under the leadership of Chief Mark Foulks, the department has worked both internally and externally to improve both current services and plan ahead for upcoming needs.

Internally, the department has developed a new organizational chart and job descriptions to better define the chain of command and duties of all employees. This has created a more transparent career pathway for employees. Additionally, the department has developed an external assessment center.

To better help the community at large, the department also created three new fire and life safety specialist positions to oversee the Community Risk Reduction program including analyzing department statistics, recommending programming, conducting safety inspections, and determining fire causes and origins.

To provide quick and accessible medical care, the department increased their emergency medical service levels and provided advanced life support to fire companies. The department also constructed a state-of-the-art training center and has made great strides in ensuring there are adequate facilities and apparatus to serve the community.

Looking toward the future, the department is formalizing their planning process through a comprehensive fire department strategic plan and encouraging members to seek accreditation and professional development through programs like the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s Commission on Fire Accreditation and the All Hazards Incident Management Team. Each year the Tennessee Municipal League honors cities throughout the state for overall excellence, improvement, specific outstanding programs, or department accomplishments. Other award winners for 2018 include Dunlap, for Excellence in Green Leadership; Gatlinburg, for Excellence in Police Services; Jonesborough, Excellence in Community Planning and Development; Kingsport, for Excellence in Governance; Knoxville, for Excellence in Public Works; Rockwood, for Small City Progress; and Unicoi for Excellence in Entrepreneurial Leadership.

“We are humbled and honored to receive this tremendous accolade from the Tennessee Municipal League,” said Chief Mark Foulks. “The measures that we have taken and will continue to take reflect our focus and commitment to the safety of the citizens and visitors of Murfreesboro.”

The Tennessee Municipal League is a voluntary, cooperative organization established by the cities and towns of the state for mutual assistance and improvements. The League’s primary function is to advocate on behalf of city governments. TML works with the Tennessee General Assembly promoting legislation helpful to cities and opposing legislation harmful to cities.